Alternis Universo
by arelia22
Summary: The war is over. Ichigo seems to be holding himself better than the rest and acts as a clutch for all his friends. However, even he feels pain filled regrets and decides to finish a time machine Kisuke and him were building as per the blonde's last wish -sorta. But the shocking part of it all, is that it actually pulls him into an AU where the unthinkable, is reality. AU -literally
1. Not a time machine

**A/N: Now, many of you might be asking what the hell this is, but let me tell you. I don't know either.**

**This is a story with no destination in mind and no ending clear. Hope you can still find it in yourself to enjoy it! This is an intro to show what has happened in the past years so that the main story can come along! I assure you, the body is less… depressing. Okay! Enough chatter! Onto the story!**

#1#

"Oi~! Ku-ro-sa-ki-kun~! Where are you~?!"

"Sssshhh!"

The timid orange head ducked shamelessly as her cheeks tinted red and she flashed a sheepish smile to the nurse and co-worker that had shut her up. She murmured a quick apology, before walking out of the intensive care hall and trotting her way.

You see, Inoue Orihime had been looking for Ichigo for a good half an hour now. She had searched through every nook and cranny area of the godforsaken hospital and she _still_ couldn't find her orange-haired friend.

It was rather ridiculous too, because for some reason, Ichigo's location was always known to anyone. His bright, orange hair was a dead giveaway –obviously- his youthful and handsome looks also didn't do him any favors in walking around unnoticed. And most of all, his god damn charismatic personality.

Now, anyone who would see the orange-haired hybrid in the street would obviously think otherwise –his perpetual scowl being something to fear and avoid like the plague. But anyone who took the time of the day to get to know him, would actually realize what a great person Ichigo really was. His need to protect everyone gave others a sense of relaxation and freedom around the man. The way he could worm himself into everyone's hearts without their permission, and even make enemies doubt their purpose. Yes indeed, Kurosaki Ichigo was a man to be feared and adored at the same time.

However, Orihime had known Ichigo since she was in high school –and wasn't that odd in its own right, they were _27_ for fucks sake- and she obviously knew Ichigo on a more personal level –even though she kept on calling him _Kurosaki-kun_ no matter how many times Ichigo has told her otherwise- so she knew pretty well that the orange head not only had the hospital to juggle, but his duties of the afterlife and many other things even she was left out on. Even then, it was strange she couldn't find her friend. Ichigo is usually easy to find, but now she's having to rely on her last resort. _Yell_.

"Kurosaki-kun! Ku-ro-sa-ki-kun! Where are you?!"

This time, no nurse was around to shush her, so Orihime continued her persecution. She had been given the task to find Ichigo, and she'd be damned if she didn't find him. It was important after all.

"Kurosaki-kun! If you can hear me, say something?! Mo~ where are you, Kurosaki-kun?"

"Right here."

Orihime nearly jumped a foot in the air as a smooth and even tone spoke up from behind her. She clenched her jaw and turned around fast enough to get a whiplash before her big gray eyes settled on the figure of her target.

"Kurosaki-kun! Don't scare me like that!"

Ichigo looked taken aback as he blinked curiously at his friend with some sort of surprise. He took one of his hands out of the pockets of his white doctor's coat before scratching sheepishly the back of his head.

"Sorry?" He intoned unapologetic while raising an eyebrow "I didn't mean to startle you. You _did_ tell me to say something if I could hear you."

Orihime flushed slightly, but held her ground nothing the less "I-I guess you're right. But _still_, no sneaking up on me. Alright?"

Ichigo nodded as he stared her square in the eye. He honestly hadn't meant to scare her. It's just that they would _both_ get yelled at later if she kept on making so much noise in a _hospital_.

"So, Orihime, Why were you looking for me?"

Orihime looked confused for a second before her expression turned pensive and she tapped her index finger on her chin. She seemed to be in deep thought as she crossed her arms under her ample chest and all Ichigo could think of, was how she could have forgotten so soon.

Suddenly, her eyes widened and she perked up. Her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as she all but jumped in her spot.

"Ah! I remember!"

"And?" Ichigo inquired softly, his head tilting slightly in mild curiosity as he unconsciously scowled at a passerby that was ogling a little _too_ much on Orihime's backside. _Seriously, perverts the lot_.

"Yoruichi-san came with a message for you!"

_This,_ on the other hand, made him freeze completely. Apparently, even Orihime caught onto his stillness and her expression quickly morphed to that of apprehension. The busy corridor suddenly seemed tense and uncomfortable, making many nurses and doctors scurry away in fear of the sudden, bone-chilling expression settled onto Ichigo's cold features.

"She came," he murmured quietly, more to himself than anyone else as his eyes narrowed and they flashed momentarily to unreadable amber "as in she _physically _came _here_, looking for _me _on her own free will?"

The perplexed nurse nodded nervously as she affirmed Ichigo's words. Orihime was starting to catch onto what was going on and couldn't help but bite on her lower lip anxiously as she tried to form words.

"Is she… is Yoruichi-san still in denial?" She asked –tentatively at best.

Ichigo didn't seem very inclined to answer and only nodded, his gaze focusing on anything but the orange head standing right in front of him. It almost seemed like if he wasn't physically _there_. As if his mind was wandering elsewhere with no destination in mind, and no ending clear.

Orihime actually hated it when Ichigo got like this. Sure, it was only temporal. And the next second the orange head would go back to normal like if it had never happened before. But it wasn't a product of her imagination. Ichigo _did_ dwell on stuff too much from time to time.

_Like Yoruichi and her refusal to leave the abandoned Urahara Shoten, _She thought anxiously.

And the worst of it all, was how she could do nothing to avoid it, or fix it. She wasn't Rukia that could get Ichigo out of his funk by a simple whack in the head. She wasn't Renji that could beat the gloominess out of the orange head with a single spar. Nor was she Urahara Kisuke, genius scientist that could trick Ichigo into forgetting solemn stuff and think about the good things –or at least less depressing stuff. There were many people that could beat some sense into her orange-haired friend; but none of them where _here_. More accurately, none of them were _able to_.

This was one of the things Inoue Orihime regretted fiercely every day. _No one was left to keep Ichigo in check_. If only she had been stronger, she thought. If only she had been faster, she would yearn. If only they hadn't been forced into a _war_. But _ifs_ only brought you so far, so she threw it to the past. Concentrate on the here and now. Love that which is still present and take a step towards the future.

That was her goal.

She was pretty sure that was every survivor's goal.

Ne, Orihime."

She blinked, clearly taken aback by the sudden voice as she pushed back gloomy thoughts "Yes?"

"What was her message?"

"She-…she said… '_I have something you should see for yourself, something _he_ left behind_.' Direct quote. She basically wanted you to go as soon as you can."

Ichigo sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a full minute. When he opened them again, his expression had gone back to normalcy. Bright chocolate eyes that women went crazy over, soft scowl that was part of his sex-appeal –surprisingly enough- slight frown that still managed to look at ease and –dare she say- happy. It was odd how fast he could compose his rampant emotions when before it would have taken them more than a sitting down to fix. She knew that her dear friend had taken the worst out of the whole war. Ichigo had been affected by it more than anyone else but he was still striving forward. He had studied medicine, gotten a stable and respectable job, won the war, earned respect from mostly everyone, but most of all, he was still living.

He hadn't stayed in the past.

Funny thing to say. Seeing as she was still struggling to go back to normalcy with a little bit more trouble than needed. Yet Ichigo was strong. He was thriving forward. He was unwavering.

But he's not indestructible. And this is something everyone knows.

All of a sudden, movement in her perceptual vision catches her attention and she finally notices that she's been staring far too long and Ichigo has started to move. He stepped forward, stalking taking him right next to her as he clamps a warm and firm hand on her shoulder to stir her away from prying eyes.

Orihime absently winces as she finally notices the amount of attention they have gained. She can't believe she was so immersed in her thoughts, she completely forgot her surroundings. At the very least, Ichigo was paying attention; so she could only silently thank the orange head that was starting to take them towards the lounge room.

All of a sudden, Orihime blinks as she remembers how Ichigo had been untraceable until five minutes ago and glances to look at her friend. She stares, the gesture attracting his attention as he raises an eyebrow in silent question.

"Ne, Kurosaki-kun, where were you? I was looking everywhere for you!"

He looks taken aback for a second. And if it weren't for the fact that she has known Ichigo for more than a decade, she wouldn't have batted an eye at his sudden stiffening that would have gone unnoticed by anyone else. She knows Ichigo is a master at hiding his true expression from others -It's an ability he picked up by spending so much time with masters in that particular art- but even she can tell from time to time when he's really lying.

Suspicious indeed.

"I had to go out for a while." He answers evenly, almost as if he weren't really nervous like he was in the inside.

Orihime all but frowns as she furrows her eyebrows together. She doesn't believe his mask even for a second but leaves it be. "That's irresponsible of your part, Kurosaki-kun. You're still on duty."

Ichigo gives a half-smile as he glances her way and unconsciously opens the door to the lounge for her "Uryuu covered up for me. And I wasn't gone that long anyways."

"Uryuu-kun said he didn't know where you were!" She exclaims exasperated "That doesn't make any sense!"

"Of course it does!" Ichigo argues back, all convection and no nerves as he finally meets her startled, gray eyes "I didn't tell him where I was going. Only that I needed to run some errands."

"And he agreed to cover for you with _just_ that answer?" The orange head points out incredulously.

The hybrid just huffs an exasperated breath and crosses his arms over his chest "Yes. _I_ cover for him without a question. So it's only fair he does the same."

Orihime seems to pout as she crosses her arms over her ample chest in a way that mirrored completely the orange-haired doctor. Honestly, the two could have passed off as siblings.

"It's unfair how you two support each other to cover your _mystery_ activities. And to think that back in high school you couldn't stand each other. Now both of you act like the cousins you really are."

Ichigo seems pleased as he quirks a smile her way "We did fight a lot back then. But time made us grow up and tolerate each other until we depended on each other like we should have in the beginning. It's the same for all of us… We grew to rely on others."

She grows quiet as she processes his words. She knows what Ichigo is talking about. They matured so much compared to the group of human teenagers that went head first into soul society. Chad, Uryuu, Ichigo and she have changed a lot actually. She's only glad they all made it out of the war alive. She honestly doesn't know what would have happened if she had lost the only family she has left.

"You went to soul society, right?" It's more a statement than anything, but Ichigo doesn't point it out anyways. He can only frown at her as his eyes convey worry.

"You did, didn't you?"

"… Yeah, I did."

"Is there something I should know?" And she needs to ask. It's an itch she has every time someone comes or goes from soul society. She can't help it. Ryūken –their de-facto therapist by forced means- says it's unhealthy and that she should leave it be; but she honestly can't.

"Not really." And there's that feeling of uncertainty in Ichigo's words, something that makes her doubt him not for the first time.

"Ukitake-san?" She tries to enquire.

"Still in a coma." Ichigo answers solemnly.

"Then, Abarai-san?"

"Still moping around with no end clear." And he can't help but notice how his voice quavers.

"Byakuya-san?"

"Still hiding behind his mask and denying Rukia's death." It's getting worse, no doubt.

"How about-"

"Orihime," Someone mutters from behind her "I think you should stop interrogating Ichigo." And she thinks –sadly- that she has never seen Ichigo so glad to see Uryuu before. The orange head flashes the raven head a grateful smile before turning back to Orihime, eyes full of understanding with turmoil hidden well beneath.

"I know you're worried Orihime. But I assure you nothing has changed. I had to talk with Shunsui about some issues and took advantage of the opportunity to check on my division, nothing else."

The orange-haired nurse looks disappointed for a second before she drops her gaze downwards, her bangs obscuring her eyes as she tries to compose her raging heart.

"Yeah, you're right." She looks up to give Uryuu a sad smile "Uryuu-kun is totally right. I shouldn't interrogate Kurosaki-kun so much. And I know Ryūken-san is also right. It's bad to be so obsessed by everything. But I'm not strong like Uryuu-kun, Kurosaki-kun and Sado-kun, that found their path in life. I just decided to continue doing the only thing I feel I have ever done right."

She pauses, so close to tears Ichigo has to literally nail himself to the ground to avoid moving forward to console her –he knows the raven head has it covered when he places a hand on her shaking shoulder.

"That's not true, Orihime. We've all had hardships, and we have come close to overcoming them. It's just that it's taking more time for you to heal. The battlefield was never meant for you in the first place."

Orihime merely nods as she shifts a little closer than necessary in Uryuu's direction. The raven head answers accordingly and merely envelops her into a one-armed hug as he turns back to stare at the silent orange head.

"I just came out of the ER, by the way. It's already shocking they haven't called out for you."

Ichigo rolls his eyes as he sighs in plain resignation. It's obvious he's used to this. "Don't jinx it. I was planning on going back to the ER anyway."

Uryuu scoffs, but anyone can see as plain as day that it's a mere formality as he can't completely suppress his smile.

"Then get back to work. I'm tired of covering for your sorry ass."

Ichigo mirrors the scoff as he walks forward with his hands back in his coat. He stops, a few feet away before turning back to look at the duo with a cocky smile plastered in place.

"You should stop slaking too. Go do your work and then you can go and spend some quality time with each other. God knows you two need it." His smile grows when Orihime all but bursts into red "See ya."

And with those last words, he completely walks away towards the emergency room with a relaxed pace. And the funny part of it all, is that not a second later, Ichigo is called back to the ER, the intercom not dying completely before the orange head starts to curse the raven head to the depths of hell.

Ah~ such relaxing life compared to their past. Uryuu only wonders why he feels it's not going to continue that way in the near future.

#1#

Ichigo has to endure another three hours in the ER and an operation he had programed for an elderly women before he can finally leave the hospital. It's already past eleven when he comes out through the hospital doors and finds himself underneath the starry sky.

He stops for a second. His doctor's coat draped over a shoulder as he loses his blue tie and unbuttons the top of his black, long sleeved shirt. He sighs, gaze lifting to stare at the night sky as he closes his eyes momentarily and scans the area with his senses.

It's a peaceful autumn night. The parking lot lacks a single living being. And everyone inside is too busy to notice an orange-haired doctor standing in the cold. There aren't any hollows around. And the last shinigami stationed here hasn't come in more than seven years. He's alone in the night, not a soul in sight, and not a sound heard. His reiatsu is a suppressed presence deep down, not a single hint to the enemy, friend or foe. He's untraceable. The way he was trained to be in the war.

Ichigo opens his eyes once more, chocolate colored eyes shining under the dim lights as he takes a deep breath and turns forward. Not a second later, he disappears as if he was never there.

He appears miles away, standing in front of an abandoned shack that humans are scared of approaching. There's a steady presence coming from inside, and Ichigo merely walks forward. His footsteps are unwavering. His movements unheard. Not a single hint to show he exists.

All of a sudden, the door slides open. And a singular person stands at the doorway, golden eyes vacant and hair disheveled. Like always, she has a green and white striped hat in her hand.

Yoruichi stares at Ichigo. And Ichigo stares back. His eyes unwavering as he assesses her current self and gives a small smile when she never retreats.

"I can see you're better today." He speaks up, voice moving along with him as he walks forth "I'm glad to hear you came out of the Shoten. Has anything happened?"

She doesn't say a single thing, and for a second, Ichigo believes she won't speak today. But all of a sudden, a blonde colored cat comes out from the shack and starts to rub itself affectionately on her leg. He stops, clearly taken aback by the intrusion as he stares at the purple-haired women to see her reaction.

Honest to god, he feels he's going to have a heart attack when she quirks a smile and crouches to pat the kitty.

"You came to say hi to our guest, Kisuke?" Ichigo can't help but flinch "I'm sure Ichigo would love to meet you. Right?"

"O-of course" he answers. And honestly, he doesn't know what to say when Yoruichi sits on the engawa and pats the empty space between herself and the cat. Ichigo can only do as he's told and sits down to caress the loving cat.

"I bet you're surprised." She mutters out of nowhere.

"I think that's an understatement."

Yoruichi glances back momentarily, her gaze tracing back to stare at the star filled sky as she gives a small, yet sad smile.

"Yeah, I guess it is." She stops, her expression turning serious as she absently pats the blonde cat "I found this little guy rummaging through some boxes in the back. I don't even know how he got in."

"He looks rather attached to you."

"Like a certain someone." She states fondly.

"Yeah," Ichigo quirks a chuckle "Like a certain geta-wearing blonde."

Yoruichi also laughs along "Yup, just like him. Except… he's not here anymore."

The orange head looks mildly surprised but isn't caught as Yoruichi refuses to meet his gaze.

"Yoruichi, you-"

"I know!" She angrily interrupts "I know. It's just-" She's more close to tears than he has ever seen her "-it's just… how am I supposed to live now?"

"Everyone has doubts." He assures her "Each of us are striving forward." He stares directly into her tear filled eyes as he gives her a sad smile "The war ended a long time ago, Yoruichi." Ichigo is sure his eyes are starting to water as well "Kisuke died a long time ago. So did Jinta, Ururu, Tessai-san-" He notices Yoruichi choke up besides him "-Rose, Love, Hiyori, Mashiro, Hachi, Izuru, Unohana-san, Komamura-san, Toushiro, Yama-ji-" the tears are pouring without permission and she grips his sleeve searching for comfort "-Yuzu, K-Karin a-and O-Oyaji; they're all gone." She throws herself onto his lap and openly cries into his shirt. He only cries silently, droplet after droplet cascading down his cheeks and falling into her hair a he hugs her softly to assure her she's not alone.

"W-why did everyone have to die!? W-why were we left behind?! Tell me why, god damn it! We were going to get married, have kids, and live a normal life! Why did he have to die?!"

Ichigo merely rubs her back soothingly as he tries to ease her raging heart. He doesn't speak. The answer is unknown to him as well. His only regret is not being able to do anything more. And when she finally calms down, she's only hiccupping silently into his tear stained shirt.

"Why are all of you guys still by my side?"

"Idiot." He mutters softly "Why wouldn't we be? Everyone is still worried about you. Soi-fon can barely sit still, and Kukaku is still making a fuss about being denied permission to smack some sense into you." He chuckles softly as he remembers the racket his cousin made even as she simultaneously put Yoruichi in his care "We're still here because we're worried."

She scoffs, sound soft and happier than anything as she grips his shirt tighter.

"I think I'll go back to SS."

He can't help but smile "Is that so. Then I guess my baby-sitting job will be revoked."

Yoruichi looks annoyed but doesn't say anything. She merely grunts and buries herself deeper into his chest.

_How can you be so strong_? She can't help but wonder. _Why is it, that you can still smile and live when you have gone through so much hardships? _She knows there's no answer. _Can I ever become as strong as you?_ She sure hopes so.

"Ne, Ichigo?" She can feel his chest hum in question, almost like a purr that makes her smile contentedly. "Kisuke left a letter… a part is directed to you, though I couldn't understand what it said."

He looks expectantly at her, his brown eyes filled with curiosity in a way that makes her laugh.

"Something about a last piece. _Alternis Universo,_ was the title. The rest was written in another language."

Ichigo widens in eyes as he quickly turns down to look at her bright eyes. He hasn't seen her eyes so sparkly in a long time, but has little time to dwell on it as his thoughts are elsewhere. Mainly, that letter she's talking about.

"Can I see it?" He asks expectantly.

She all but chuckles, slowly retracting herself from her giant teddy bear as she takes a folded piece of paper from within her pockets.

"That whole page was for you. The rest are little nothingness. Too much sorrow to share freely if you catch my drift."

Ichigo merely nods as he grasps the sheet like if it were gold. He stretches, bones cracking in place as Yoruichi stands and extends a hand towards her once-upon-a-time pupil.

"You should be going. There's a job you need to do, right?"

"Yeah, I gotta go and prove Kisuke right. That's his last wish after all."

The purple-haired women can't help but laugh as she stares at the serious expression on the orange head's face.

"You've been working on it for some time now, haven't you?" It's all the answer she needs when he looks shocked "I thought so. Just remember, don't do anything crazy."

He huffs an exasperated breath, no annoyance as his lips turn upwards against his will "I just want to conclude his work. I promise not to do anything life threatening."

Yoruichi goes forth to debate, but stops when she sees it's no use. Instead, she ducks to grab the blonde kitty and turns back to give a resigned sigh and a small smile.

"It can't be helped, huh? I guess that's the best I'll get." She stops, her smile growing as she quirks a thumb behind her "Think you can open up a door for me?"

"Alright."

Ichigo searches in his pockets for his badge before pressing it on his body. All of a sudden, his soul form is separated from his material body and he lazily unsheathes his blade strapped at his waist. He thrusts the nodachi in thin air, the tip disappearing as he twists it counter clock wise and a clicking noise resounds and a gate is opened. Out comes a solitary, black hell butterfly which lands on his shoulder to brush a soft wing on his cheek in greeting before taking off towards Yoruichi.

"I trust you can make it there on your own?"

"Of course I can!" She answers angrily "You said it yourself, my babysitter has been revoked."

"I guess you're right." He pauses, gaze lingering downwards as he stares at his waraji clad feet "Than I guess I'll see you later."

The breeze ruffles his shoulder length orange hair as his white haori follows behind. The folds of his shihakusho bristles as well and he can only quirk a smile when he imagines how Soi-fon will react to Yoruichi's messier hair and tear-stained face. His hands twitch slightly as he fiddles with his fingerless black tekkō –a gift from the Kuchiki family in mirror to their own white gloves. Now that Yoruichi is actually leaving, he can't help but feel nervous.

"I'll be alright, Ichigo." He turns up, momentarily surprised as Yoruichi gives him a cocky smile that resembles so much her past-self that his hands twitch even more –only this time, it's in look for a camera to freeze the moment forever. "I'll make sure to send you a hell butterfly when I get to Soi-fon's if that'll put you at ease."

"Yeah," he agrees, his own lips turning into a smirk as his eyes start to sparkle in anticipation, humor and happiness "that'd be great."

"Then I better get going! My regards to everyone!" And with those last words, she turns and all but runs into the white light, the shoji doors sliding shut right behind her.

"_Itte rasshai_" He whispers into the night wind. His form being caressed by the breeze in his lone presence as he stays still and waits a few seconds before grabbing his body and rushing away in a fleet of shunpo.

He has other things to do. And catching cold is not in his agenda.

#1#

Once Ichigo arrives at the once-upon-a-time Kurosaki clinic, he all but throws his empty body on the floor before trotting towards the storage room. In the narrow place, he crouches down before lifting the floorboards to find a latter heading downwards. He jumps down, forgoing the means of descent as he silently lands in a giant patch that highly resembles the training grounds under Urahara's shop. Ichigo straightens himself, his feet absently taking him towards a steel door on the only visible wall as he enters a laboratory.

Inside, is the complete definition of chaos. But Ichigo maneuvers himself expertly as he goes to the corner that is the most organized and finds himself staring at a portal like machine that has been collecting dust until then. The device is one of the only things he was able to rescue from Kisuke's own lab. And he's been keeping it on the sides all this time in hoping to build a successful one up until that very day. That particular machine was built in between the both of them –with the little time they had free between fighting a war, at least two people had to be involved to get somewhere. It has more of an emotional value than anything. But if Kisuke's letter is right. It was almost complete and they had never noticed it.

However, it didn't turn out to be a machine for their purpose.

Just like Kisuke said:

_My dear friend, it's a little odd to be writing for someone I just spoke to. We've been spending a lot of time together lately. I guess that's what happens when we decide to work on a machine like this one._

_I know we've both been working really hard to build a time-travel mechanism. I know we both held hope we could change it all. But what I just discovered, the last piece we were searching for, is a total disappointment. I can't even stand to tell you personally. _

_I can't even imagine how heartbroken you'd be once you discover the truth. I don't want to keep your hopes up, but I don't want to give you anymore sorrow. But I know you'll find this very answer one day. You're a genius as well, even if people tend to think otherwise. You absorb everything I teach you like a sponge, you understand what I tell you, or tend to, with only a little explaining. You're a prodigy in your own right._

_But I think my ending is drawing near. How weird, right? I can't even stop to feel scared. I hope you understand why I didn't tell you. _

_Im 'pulchellus certus ut vos iam nunc hoc tempore non potest. __**I'm pretty sure that by now you already know that time travel is impossible. **__At verò aliud. __**But i have discovered something else**__. Puto, si quid audisti Kōryū tibi in ruinam, te possit missus in aliud tempus. __**I imagine you've heard what happens if you get trapped in the Kōryū, you can get thrown into another time. **__Coepi itaque certius invenit amet tempus ut ne vagari, sed mundi saliens. __**So I started to investigate more and found the interesting result that it might not be time-travel, but universe jumping.**__ Agrum alternis haec universi possit intra eundem attrahens -a botrus ad eandem point- mundo vel extra lineas ducere servivit regi diversa. __**This alternate universe can be inside the same attractor field –a cluster of world lines that lead to the same point- or outside of it –where they lead to different points. **__Et venit ad conclusionem quod operatur intra dangai eodem modo et causat mitis attrahens ager alterationes cum eodem loci puncto. __**I came to the conclusion that the dangai works inside the same attractor field and only causes mild alterations with the same point.**_

_This is the answer we were looking for. This is the theory that destroys all our hopes. Now, I'm certain you're thinking about how much of a nag it is to read this letter because part of it is in another language. But I assure you, I couldn't just leave this information lying around. And sure, with the information we have now and days, I bet it wouldn't be an obstacle at all. But let me just say… I also did it to partially annoy you~!_

_But anyhow… strive forward, Ichigo. Don't stay in the past. The answer is not there. _

It's actually stupidly obvious. Ichigo actually feels like whacking himself a few times. But now he has the answers to end his stupid _obsession_ –as Ryuken would name it, that bastard. He could finally finish their project, turn it on to see if it works and bury it underneath the loads of stuff he had in the laboratory.

Turn it into a forgotten piece of the past.

So that was his objective. What he did the entire night, well into the morning lights –not that he could see them, he was underground after all- and way past breakfast. He didn't sleep, he merely concentrated on his meager work, and finished the unfinished.

He completed Kisuke's last project.

Once he was done, he couldn't help but contemplate his job well done. The portal-like thing is vacant of dust, and now looks more prone to work. There are many places that look unstable, or barely holding together, but Ichigo thinks nothing of it as he knows it will only be tested before being forgotten.

He smiles to himself, his oil stained Shihakusho being in shambles and his face no better. His haori was long discarded in fear of getting it stained so he currently looks like a normal shinigami –besides his gloves. In the end he decided to take a quick bath and grab a piece of bread to settle his stomach before going back to prepare the test. He's still not wearing his haori, but decided to put it on later.

Ichigo takes a deep breath. His heart pounding mercilessly in his chest as he prepares to power the machines with his unlimited reiatsu. All of sudden, the mirror started to glow and quiver under the many noises it made before finally materializing into something stable.

The orange head held his breath, the swirling colors the portal projected forming into something material-like until it projected a battlefield. There were explosions left and right, and Ichigo vaguely recognized the place as Rukongai before something caught his attention making his eyes widen the size of saucers.

In the midst of it all, a small shinigami boy scurried off in attempt to avoid the bunch of rubble and attacks. On his back, was a recognizable zanpaktou. And his head was adorned with a familiar shade of orange hair. Honestly, the kid could have passed off as a mini Ichigo.

All of a sudden, the machine started to malfunction and Ichigo started to believe it was the end to his test and was vaguely satisfied. However, the retched device had other plans and started to shake even more, the movements brusque and forced until the mirror started to extend itself forward. Ichigo widened in eyes as the machine seemed to have a mind of its own and he was encased in the goo-like thing which made up the mirror.

He cursed, his hand absently reaching towards his zanpaktou at his waist before his movements were restricted and he was left fighting tooth and nail to free himself from the damned machine. However, in a blink of an eye, the mirror reached inwards and sucked the orange-haired doctor inside, the portal-like machine exploding completely not a second after.

In the midst of it all, not a single clue was left to show Ichigo had once upon a time been there.

**To be continued…?**

_Preview:_

"_Who're you?"_

"_Me? I'm Shiba Ichigo. It's a pleasure to meet you, oni-chan." _

**Leave a review on your way out please!**


	2. Not a kid, not an Old man

Disclaimer: I do NOT own bleach. I barely own a computer, don't go making crazy assumptions here.

**Thanks to all of of those who reviewed (****Mirei-chan, ShindragonX, Kage-Saru, ougley, callian31, youbadoobadooba) ****Mirei-chan you were partially right.**

The first thing Ichigo registered was the sense of free falling from a _very_ high place. For some reason, he felt it was a warm sense of deja vous; just like that time he came back from rescuing Rukia and Kisuke had caught them on that flying carpet thing because the senkaimon had appeared in the sky –as always. But as he extended his reiatsu, he came to the terrifying conclusion that it was defiantly _not_ like that time. He opened his eyes forcibly, feeling the gush from the wind pressure his body and make it hard to move upright. But once he finally did, Ichigo gazed down to see where he was, before his eyes widened in shock.

"What. The. Hell."

The sight that greeted him was not unlike what he had seen on the machine back in his lab. And as he finally scanned the whole area, he came to the bone chilling conclusion that it _was_ soul society. His breath caught in his throat when he realized how destroyed the Rukongai was. The rubble and blood staining the lands, all the way into the horizon. Honest to god, he had never seen _that_ much death gathered in a single place –the Quincy war notwithstanding, that place was a massacre. However, he was so enhanced with the view, he didn't notice the rapidly reaching ground until it was too late.

He blinked, a nano second away from the ground before he noticed a small, orange-haired boy with big brown eyes one foot away from his landing point. The two stared at each other, time seeming to freeze as the small shinigami stared curiously at the falling man that was staring just as intently. And then, time renewed and Ichigo fell with enough force to leave a crater. The impact making a loud, explosion-like sound that resounded deafening in the abandoned battlefield.

The small orange head blinked with unhidden surprise in the direction where he had seen the falling person. He tried to narrow his eyes to see past the smoke to no avail and decided to walk slowly into the dust and see if the man was okay.

The small boy knew it wasn't a very smart move. He was currently at the edges of the battlefield and _anything_or _anyone_ could ambush him at any given moment. However, this person he had barely glimpsed at before falling, gave him a certain sense of relief that didn't make him feel threatened in the least. So without a second thought, he continued, small waraji clad feet taking him forward until he stopped in front of the mysterious, orange haired man.

He was spread eagle-wide in the middle of the crater. His cloths impeccable –as if he hadn't fallen from the sky- eyes open and gazing at the sky in deep thought; almost as if he couldn't understand his situation. He wore black, fingerless gloves in his hands; tekkō they were called -if he remembered correctly. But what really caught his attention, was the mop of bright orange hair on his head.

The boy crouched down, his feet at the stranger's head as he leaned in to catch the others eye "Mister, are you alright?"

Ichigo blinked in surprise at the meek, yet firm voice. He glanced up, his eyes falling on the small boy he had seen not-so-long-ago before they widened in size. Honestly, the kid could have passed as his double if her were still ten years old. Everything, from the shade of orange hair, to the unique brown eyes were practically identical. However, all of a sudden the boy's words registered in his hazed mind and he couldn't help but scowl.

"Who're you calling '_mister'_?"

The kid tilted his head innocently "Who else would I be referring to? It's only you-" He pointed at Ichigo "-and me" he ended pointing at himself "But who cares about that. I-"

The small boy was abruptly shut up, his jaw clamping shut when Ichigo stood up with a menacing smile and placed a hand on his head, _hard_.

"Listen well kid." Ichigo muttered through clenched teeth as he lowered to his eye level "I'm not a _mister_. I'm a _young_ person. Do you understand? _Young_."

The small orange head yelped and batted his arm away before clutching his head protectively and scowling at the tall man. His expression looked more like a pout than anything, but it was still getting close to being a scowl.

"What the hell was that for?! Just because I called you mister. What was I supposed to call you?" the young boy reproached, his words making Ichigo take a step back in surprise before he collected himself and gave a _real_ scowl.

"Maybe you could have started off with '_oni-chan'_ like all the cute little kids like you do."

"_What?_" the boy exclaimed "I am _so_ not cute, you old man! I'm a big boy now! Tou-san said so! I have to protect Ka-san, so that makes me a big boy! Don't lump me up with those bunch of other kids that don't know how to do anything but eat their buggers and glue!"

Ichigo couldn't help but show his surprise as the boy straightened up to try and look bigger. It was actually ridiculous. This wasn't how kids that age acted. Though, the fact that they're in a battlefield and the boy's a Shinigami might have to do with it. But _still_.

Suddenly, a good idea came to mind making him smirk kinda evilly. He leaned down, hands on his hips as he came eye to eye with the boy.

"Okay not-cute kid. How about we make a deal."

The boy quavered slightly but held his ground anyways "What kind of deal?"

Ichigo smirked, he had the boy right where he wanted "How about I treat you like a '_big boy',_ and you stop calling me _'mister'_ or _'old man'_."

The little boy sobered up and looked down in thought. His mind seemed to be going a mile per minute in deep thought until he glanced back up with a childish frown that couldn't quite hide his excitement.

"Do you promise?" he mumbled.

"What?"

He averted his eyes, cheeks tinging red as he pouted harder. _So not a kid,_ Ichigo thought.

"Do you promise to treat me like a big boy?"

Ichigo straightened up as he gave a deep sigh. He couldn't believe he was compromising with a kid for something so stupid. But still, his pride wouldn't let him. He's _27_ god damn it!

"Alright. If you promise the same."

The boy nodded excitedly. Not a single hint of intention to hide his childish action as he looked up at Ichigo with sparkly eyes and a gigantic smile.

"Then it's a promise, oni-chan."

The orange head sighed as he gave a soft smile. Dang he had a soft spot for kids.

However, he suddenly remembered his own dilemma and decided to finally get some questions. He had someone that could answer them, might as well start.

"So, where are we exactly?"

The little orange head looked confused for a second as he stared at Ichigo with childish wonder. He was interested in knowing more about the funny guy that fell from the sky, so he guessed the best way to do it was answering to then ask.

His uncle Kisuke had taught him that! Best way to interrogate suspicious people part 1! Act like if you're on their side to find out their true intentions! He smiled before nodding. _Yes, perfect plan!_

"We're in the 10th district of east Rukongai."

"So this is soul society."

"Yes," The boy answered incredulously "that's what I said."

"Then," he paused, eyes scanning the devastation before returning to the little- cough* _big_ boy "who are you fighting against."

"You don't even know that?" The boy threw back with the same amount of disbelief "How can you not know? The war has been going on for more than 20 years!"

Ichigo rose an eyebrow in slight surprise. He didn't say anything, however, and only waited for his answer.

"Huh, whatever." The boy conceded "We're fighting against the evil do doers of Soul Society, the Gotei 13 and Central 46!"

The boy looked pleased as he stood with his hands on his hips. He looked proud of his side. Like if he genuinely believed the Gotei 13 were the evil lords and the worst scum in the world. This _innocent boy_ was so _sure_ he was on the good side, Ichigo couldn't find it in himself to doubt.

Instead he asked something else "But why are they evil?" he fought back "What is the Gotei 13 doing?" Because honestly, this was all too confusing. He had landed in a completely destroyed Soul Society –because no matter how much he searched, everything was chaos- there was a little, shrimp version of him that was saying the war was against the Gotei 13 –which isn't odd; there's always a crazy guy wanting to get payback for a 1000 year old grudge- but the thing that confused him the most, was this _evil_ Gotei 13 thing.

"Why?" said shrimp inquired "Because they are!"

Ichigo sweat dropped "Yeah, but _why_? What _evil_ did they do?"

"Oh…" the boy paused, his childish features smoldering out into something cold with pure hatred that no boy should be able to make "Because they betrayed us. They did something unforgivable and cruel."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes "What?"

"They ordered the extermination of all hybrids."

The orange head widened in eyes at the answer he was given. He was openly gapping like a fish, and most likely making the stupidest face in the world. But he didn't care. His blood ran cold, rage ran through his very veins, he began to see red.

"_All_ hybrids?"

"Yup!"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes "And you care, _why_?"

The small boy blinked, his eyes betraying his exasperation as he rolled his eyes and stared at Ichigo like if he were the dumbest person in the world.

"Because I'm also a hybrid, obviously."

In the end, the orange-haired doctor couldn't help but stare incredulously at the proud boy. Did the boy not say they were at war because they wanted to exterminate the hybrids? Why would he tell a stranger what he is?

"You _do_ realize I could be an enemy and you just confessed to be a hybrid."

"Yes." The answer was too straightforward to be mistaken for arrogance or stupidity. It was said with such confidence that Ichigo almost did a double take. Apparently, the small boy noticed his confusion and gave a full blown smile as a result. His childish features twisting into something akin to sympathy and gratitude. "You know I'm a hybrid. I'm still not dead."

Ichigo's expression sobered up into something serious, yet unreadable. His face betrayed nothing, and if Ichigo hadn't been controlling his rage –at the Gotei 13, because he was still _pissed as hell_\- he would have been more laidback. Right now he was just frickin' tense.

"I could still kill you; if I were an enemy. You shouldn't be so naive."

"Shouldn't I say the same? You believe my every word."

Ichigo stills, his eyes portraying he hadn't thought about that and now he can't believe he was _that_ dumb. But he believes this orange-haired boy. He trusts him. And he honestly can't say _why_.

"Alright," he sighs "touché."

"See," the little orange head exclaims "you're not an enemy."

"_But I am_."

Suddenly, a bone chilling voice invades their conversation making the two orange heads whirl around to confront the newcomer. Ichigo's acting before he completely realizes what he's doing, and grabs the small boy before shunpo-ing out of the way to avoid being beheaded. A black and white blur lands right where they were just mere seconds ago, and Ichigo tightens his grip on the orange head's waist when he recognizes the person standing as his enemy.

Her raven hair is styled in the same fashion as always; two long braids lying flat on her back. The short strands keeping away from her stone hard features and piercing black eyes. Her cloths are exactly as Ichigo remembers them to be –onmitsukido uniform with her back lying open and sleeveless captain haori tied with a yellow sash at her waist- and he's sure that if Soifon wasn't sending him a death glare as if he had killed Yoruichi, Ichigo would have tried to speak to her.

But since she was, the thought was completely forgotten. Right now she looked more prone to kill him than anything.

"Unknown individual, place the hybrid on the floor and step away from that monster. I shall postpone your judgement until you identify yourself. Be aware of my act of mercy." She intoned coldly, almost as if she had rehearsed it in a mirror. Strange, but not peculiar or eye catching. Just odd.

"Put me down." Hissed the small boy, barely above a whisper with worry tinting his tone "She'll kill us both. I can take her on. Just put me down."

Ichigo just rose an unimpressed eyebrow "You were about to be chopped in two."

"I was caught off guard." He argued back "That won't happen again."

The orange head snorted as he rolled his eyes "I'm not sticking around to find out."

"Stop whispering in between each other!" Soifon exclaimed "Do as you're told or die together!"

Ichigo turned back to look at the raven head with a cocky smirk as he ignored the squirming boy in his grasp. He winked, simultaneously tightening his grip on the little orange head before giving a mockery salute.

"Sorry, not so keen on getting caught today."

"Why you-!" She paused, blood running cold as she widened in eyes and stayed frozen in place; Ichigo's hand on her shoulder tightening as he stood behind her unprotected back –and when had he even _moved_?

"I said so," his voice sent chills down her spine, a distortion-like effect that made her incapable of moving "I don't feel keen on getting caught, much less killed."

She whirled around, her up-until-that-moment frozen body finally following her commands as she tried to stab Ichigo. However, he was already gone once again; and when she turned again, he was standing on a pile of rubble.

"Goodbye, captain. Regards to your superiors."

And then he was gone, feet taking him at incredible speeds that far outmatched anyone as he left Soifon behind. She had actually tried to pursue them, but Ichigo knew it was futile.

"Idiot," the little boy spoke "she's the 2nd squad captain and commander of the onmitsukido. She'll catch up."

Ichigo snorted "Not likely."`

He sped up, his feet silent and fast taking him further and further from the battlefield. He vaguely noticed the 2nd squad captain had been left behind a long time ago, and made a smug expression as he glanced down at the pouting boy.

"See? I told you we'd out run her."

The little boy rolled his eyes even as he stared at the orange head vaguely impressed. Apparently he wasn't very honest with himself.

"Okay, so I thought you were super weak."

Ichigo stared at the boy from the corner of his eye "Of course you would. That's what I wanted you to believe."

The small orange head gapped at the man and made an undignified groan from his draped position in Ichigo's left arm. So he wasn't the only one that was trying to assert intentions. The guy was smarter than he looked at the very least. However-

"Wait a second, if you're stronger than you let on, couldn't you have defeated her?"

"Maybe I could, maybe I can't. What I'll tell you, however, is that it's stupid to fight someone head on. Stop to think, kid."

"I THOUGHT WE AGREED I WASN'T A KID, OLD MAN!?"

Ichigo scowled as his right eyebrow twitched. He stopped mid-step, whirling around with enough speed to scare the poor boy into clutching his arm desperately before continuing his journey in another direction.

"W-wait a second, wh-where are we going?"

"To a hide out. I haven't finished talking. And I'm sure _you_ haven't either."

The boy pouted, but nothing the less, stayed quiet. He scanned his surroundings, eyes wandering around as he barely distinguished the scenery passing by in a blur and pinpointed the forest in the 11th district. They were going rather close to the epicenter, but he guessed the man knew what he was doing.

"You know," Ichigo inquired, his even tone knocking the boy out of his thoughts "I think we forgot the first step in a normal conversation."

"What first step?"

Ichigo smirked, all amusement and no ill intent as he glanced at the curious looking boy "Who're you?"

The little orange head stopped, his face stating he hadn't thought about it before he chuckled amusingly "Me? I'm Shiba Ichigo. It's a pleasure to meet you, oni-chan."

The universe jumper almost tripped in thin air, his eyes going as wide as saucers as he stared at the young boy draped in his arm.

"_Shiba Ichigo?_ As in, _Shiba_ of the _Shiba_ clan?"

"Yup!" He grinned proudly "My crazy dad used to be the head of the clan before all this." He turned to look at Ichigo, eyes curious as he rose an eyebrow in a childish manor "How'd you know about the Shiba clan? I thought you didn't know anything."

Ichigo grumbled something under his breath that might have sounded like _maybeIdon't,_ before he scowled and gazed forward –it was a little bit hard to maneuver in between all the trees.

"I'm not clueless as to soul society issues. It's just that I-" He stopped, his mind running a mile per second as he tried to put something together. He had-

"You, what?" Inquired the small boy.

"I… came back from a journey." He lied not-so-smoothly.

"A journey?" He raised an eyebrow unimpressed.

Ichigo scowled "Yes. A journey. I've been gone for some time now. But nothing like _this_ had happened while I was here back then."

True enough. The central 46 had actually accepted the hybrids rather well –if anything because their hero was one- and after much effort, prying and convincing, the hybrids were even allowed to join the gotei 13 –the vizards notwithstanding, those guys had been pardoned a long time ago. So it wasn't an outright lie. Just a tinsy white lie.

"Okay," The little boy spoke up "so you used to live here in SS. But now, who are _you_?"

The orange-haired man stopped suddenly in the middle of the 11th district forest. His halt abruptly and unexpected to the young boy. The little Ichigo looked up to see the expression on the man's face only to be shocked when he saw sadness.

"Me too."

"Huh?"

The orange haired doctor glanced down, his eyes far and suddenly older than before. Honestly, it was saddening for the young boy "Me too. I'm also '_Ichigo_'."

The boy gapped, his eye wide as saucers as he tried to process the others words.

"You're _what_?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, nice to meet you."

And as if the situation wasn't odd enough, the stranger had his mom's maiden name. _Great_.

"So… uh… we're both Ichigo."

"Yup." Answered the elder.

"And –for some reason- you have my mom's maiden name."

"I don't know, she's _your_ mom."

He scowled "And we both have orange hair. What are the odds…? So we're both Ichigo… this will get confusing fast."

"That's easy enough." Concluded the orange-haired doctor "I'm Ichigo, you're Ichi."

The little boy stilled as he thought over it. Sure, it was a diminutive of his name, and it sounded childish. But he didn't _mind_. People called him that _all_ the time.

"Alright… so where are we?"

Ichigo chuckled as he placed the boy on his own feet –after all this time. He crouched slightly, going to the small, ten year old look-alike's height as he pointed towards a wooded area of sakura trees.

"See that way, beyond the cherry blossoms. There's a shack. Well, not _really_ a shack. More like a luxury cottage."

"And the war wouldn't have destroyed this cottage _because_?"

Ichigo gave a smug smirk "It's not visible to the eye unless you arrive from a certain angle."

Ichi looked confused as he surveyed his vicinity "Where are we anyways?"

"This shack is about 4km west from the gate of the district, passing the water fall and a few cherry blossoms away. It's not hard to miss if you know what you're looking for. The entrance is the tricky part."

The orange-haired man started to walk forward and the boy followed him behind. They went right through the middle of the sakura trees, the two being encased in pink as they walked.

"Here." he pointed at a crooked, withering looking tree "This is the land mark."

"This ugly thing is the land mark?" he rose an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Ichigo walked towards the tree, passing by the left side, an inch away from the trunk while the boy followed his steps. "Sometimes, we have to see things from a certain angle to really see its beauty."

He stopped, his eyes settling on a small, traditional Japanese house surrounded by Sakura and maple trees. Ichigo heard a small gasp and couldn't help but glance back.

"Look behind."

As Ichi turned around, he was surprised to see the previous tree as the most majestic of all. It was surreal to think it was the same one. But apparently it was.

"What is this place?"

"That's a secret. All I can tell you is that this place is a haven for the head of a noble family."

The boy turned, his eyes wide and curious as he stared at the man "Which family? Why do you know?"

"'Cause I fit the requirements for this knowledge." He glanced at the boy "Now I'm sharing this with you."

Ichi's eyes brightened up with unhidden excitement as he shunpoed forward, his light steps taking him to the fresh-looking house as he examined the place in a quick manor. He was barely stopping in a place before he already went to the next, the act looking almost like teleportation if you couldn't keep up with his speed.

_He's fast for someone so small,_ thought the orange head. _I wonder how old he really is._

"Hey Ichi!" the boy flashed back into sight, his eyes bright with curiosity "How old are you?"

"Twenty-seven. Why?"

Ichigo openly gapped as he stared at his alternate self with unhidden shock. This little _brat_ was his _exact _same copy in_**every **__sense_? Was this _real_.

Well, at least that explains his sudden shift in personality from time to time. He's aging in Soul Society years.

"What about you?" the _boy_ asked "How old are you?"

"T-t-two h-hundred and s-seventy." He stammered out, his pride not letting him say he was the _same_ frickin' age _he_ was.

"So you're ten times my age. I guess that makes sense." He replied "_Anyhow_, what else do you want to know? I kinda went out on my own without permission. I don't have that much time."

Ichigo stilled as he took on a pensive expression. He was trying to find out the right question to ask so that he wouldn't –practically- interrogate the poor boy. He also needed to make sure his question wasn't odd and uncharacteristic since he wasn't keen on explaining where he came from.

"Your allies. Who's side on you on?" Forward, yet normal-like. A question that would give him plenty information without prying for answers every minute. Something that could help him get a general idea of things. He would have to go out and investigate further on his own.

"Oh, uh… well we don't have concessive leaders. More like self-respected and de-facto leaders. Though uncle Kisuke keeps saying we're all in it together. But honestly, uncle Shunsui, Jūshirō, and Shinji are our main front liners. Like the captains basically –everyone obeys them. Auntie Unohana stays at the base because she's our main healer and dad usually stays to protect it –not like he needs to. Ryuken-Ji also tends to stay down and only goes out to clear the vicinity. We have the group of vizards that are all strong fighters in their own right, but obey the '_leaders_'. Kisuke stays cooped up in his lab as well." He stopped, his mind going through all the people he has mentioned before brightening up as he remembered something else "Oh! And Sosuke-Jisan stays to help Uncle Kisuke with their experiments or goes out into battle. But he mostly never has time and stays around base, Uncle Shinji too. Those two used to be captain-subordinate. _I_ find it hard to believe." The little orange head glanced to look at the older man with a curious expression. Ichigo had gone stone serious for some reason, and that intrigued him "Do you even know them by any chance? You asked for allies and I named them. But do you recognize them?"

The orange-haired doctor stayed eerily quiet as his eyes flashed golden a quarter of a second before it disappeared. It would have almost gone unnoticed, if it weren't for Ichi's own speed.

"Yes. I do know them. Though they don't know me."

The little oranget glanced at the man from the corner of his eye, calculable and genius-like in every way possible.

"I see." He kept his stare, half willing himself to stop, half wanting to continue. It was frustrating.

In the end, he dropped the glare/stare, his brown eyes going back to that wide-like-childish way as he flashed a small smile.

"So now it's my turn. One and only question actually. Why didn't you kill me?"

Ichigo couldn't help but stare incredulously at the boy. He was being adorably naïve in trusting a man that fell from the sky. But he understood what his predicament was –he also felt that connection that most likely came with being the same person- he _trusted_ the boy. He _felt_ his intentions. And it was abnormally frightening –for him, he had lied more than once- and also something to look forward to.

"I'm a hybrid." He explained without care "Just like you."

Ichi snorted "Doubt that. I'm special."

"Oh yeah. So am I."

"Shinigami-hollow-human-quincy hybrid?" He rose an eyebrow.

"Shinigami-hollow-human-quincy hybrid." Ichigo asserted.

"Huh… So we're both special."

"I don't think we fall into that category. More like odd balls."

Ichi snorted, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the taller man "Well I still feel special." Then his eyes brightened up in unhidden enthusiasm "I had never met another quadruple hybrid."

"I'm also a vocaloid at night. And go to fairytail when I have nothing better to do."

"Oh, I see. Wait, what?"

"Nothing. Inside joke." He paused "So anything else you want to ask? I don't really mind."

"Not really. I was just curious as to why I'm still alive… Though, I guess your suspicious past is something to inquire about. But I shouldn't pry."

Ichigo smiled as he patted the young boy in the head. His hand was batted away the next second as he received a hefty glare.

"Stop that, old man." Ichigo's eyebrow twitched "So what are you going to do now?"

The orange-haired doctor blinked in mild curiosity before he took on a thoughtful expression. He was actually thoroughly confused, but couldn't do much about it. He couldn't just interrogate his alternate self about why _Aizen Sosuke_ was a frickin' _good guy_! So he had to investigate on his own. There has to be a way to get more information.

So he decided "I'm going to scout the area." Ichigo glanced to look at the curious orange head before quirking a smug smile "This place that should be familiar is too foreign for my liking."

"So you're leaving again." He scowled –which turned out more like a pout "I'm still not done with you."

"Didn't you say you were done?" he raised an eyebrow.

"For now."

Ichigo sighed in a long suffering way as he pinched the bridge of his nose and chanced a glance at the boy beside him. The orange head had a wide smile plastered on his face and was looking expectant. Actually, if Ichigo was honest with himself, he understood the other's reluctance in not seeing each other again. They were the only specimens of their race –and that sounded too much like a science label- so he knew the feeling. The two might as well be able to understand each other better than anyone else. So-

"You can come visit me whenever you want." He elaborated "I'll be coming back here whenever I need to rest or work." He stopped, eyes smoldering into something serious and fervent as he stared determinedly at the horizon "I need to work on a project as well. So I'll be coming here rather often. Information gathering will only be in my free time or when I want some fresh air."

"Oh," He blinked "Okay. Then I'll be back. I have to go though." He stopped, his eyes filled with worry and apprehension as he bit his lower lip "I've been away too long anyways. I bet people are already looking for me."

Ichigo gave a small smile as he crossed his arms and shifted in his feet before pushing the boy in the right direction. Said person turned back to stare incredulously at the elder before Ichigo's smile widened.

"Go on. Kids shouldn't be wandering around without an adult."

Ichi practically glowed red as he scowled in an unlikely manor. He scoffed, his feet taking him back towards the '_exit_' as he decided to stay quiet and plan his revenge for next time. There would be hell to pay, that's for sure.

"Oh, and Ichi?"

"What?" he spat out.

Ichigo's smirk never wavered as he waved in the general direction of the '_exit_' "Remember ichi, you have to see things from a different angle to truly _see_ it. Make sure to remember that when you come back."

Ichi grumbled something that sounded oddly like _shutupoldman_ before he continued his trek. He was about to exit the area before he glanced back to look at the elder from the corner of his eye and noticed something rather peculiar.

_Is that… is that Zangetsu?_ He paused, his eyes never wavering from the familiar looking blade on the man's waist, before his eyes wandered up to stare at the other to see him with his hands on his hips and a raised eyebrow.

"Something wrong?"

"… No, not really." _Nah, that's impossible_ "Then I'll see you next time."

"Sure, until next time."

And with that last thought in mind, he left. His processing going a mile per second as he tried to not think of how _similar _they were. It _had_ to be a coincidence. _Right_?

But Ichigo knew it wasn't a coincidence. He knew the _truth_ and was honestly _freaked out_. Why wouldn't he be? He's stranded in an Alternate Universe with no way back, and no knowledge of this fucked up world –seriously, any world with Aizen out of a cell _had _to be fucked up. He's at a disadvantage. He's out in the open; and would be completely bare if it weren't for the Shiba head's secret cottage.

Kukaku had actually showed him this place around 6 years ago. She had sat him down –more like dragged to the floor, but who cares anyway- yelled a few lines, complained like no tomorrow and _then_ she had explained how this little adobe –which was kinda like a mini version of a giant manor with all the luxuries included- is for the clan head and its heir; and that no one else knows of its existence. So this place would be his sole haven for now. This was his base.

At least he had something to hold onto.

But that wasn't the important part right now. No. He had a mountain load of things to do and getting more information was number one followed with finding a way to build that machine again. He couldn't rely on Kisuke. He _wouldn't_ rely on Kisuke. The guy was very much alive and so where another dozen people that he knew to be dead. But the important part.

He was on Aizen's side.

And call him astronomically careful, or ridiculously cautious. Aizen could either be a double crossing bastard that'll stab them in the back, or a really nice person that is actually helping the hybrids. The only thing he was sure of –because it's the same in his dimension- is the fact that Aizen is against SS. More specifically, against Central 46.

The law.

Those frickin' bastrads! Even he hated them back in the day –sometimes, he still does- so he understands the sentiment. But Aizen is a wild card. And he's a card Ichigo's not willing to gamble.

So he decided to wait. Wait and investigate further before even _trying_ to approach the group. Everything was wibbly wobbly at best. Timy wimy at worst –his alternate self is also _twenty-seven_ and looks like an elementary school kid. Some ex-captains were also mixed up into the equation while others stayed. There was something defiantly fishy about this war and he would find out.

But for now…

He turned in his place, feet absently taking him to the entrance of the nice cottage as he decided to eat something first.

He had forgotten breakfast because he was impatient to try the machine. Now he was stranded somewhere completely new. Yup, he should have eaten when he could.

And the worst of it all -he thought with only mild apprehension- is that Yoruichi was going to contact him when she got to Soifon's and Uryuu would call him when he doesn't arrive to his afternoon shift.

_Shit_. He'll be murdered!

**To be continued…?**

_Preview:_

"_Wait, what?"_

"_My mom is going to have twins." He explained –again "It's exciting, Ka-san said I have to be a good big brother and protect them."_

**A/N: So I hope the two Ichigos don't get confusing. If they do, please do say. On a side note, that shack I was talking about is actually used in my other ff MoBS. I hope you liked this, and enjoyed reading it as **much **as I enjoyed writing it. **

**PS. If somebody** **doesn't understand the vocaloid and fairytale thing, it's a meme so go ahead and ask and I'll pass the link ;)**


	3. That gut feeling we have

**Disclaimer: I, thank god, do not own bleach or else I would not hear the end of this with all the Kubo bashing that has been going on lately.**

**Enjoy!**

#3#

"So the Gotei 13 has hauled themselves in the inner ring of the Seireitei." He mused to himself, his brown eyes scanning everything he could see from his position in the sky. He was crouched down, his feet creating a solid platform even while he leisurely tried to take in all the information he could from mapping out this new and half-destroyed Soul Society.

"The Rukongai was pushed back at least 15 districts and the upper echelons of the first district, in other words, the nobles, were brought back to Seireitei along with all the valuable stores and markets. Curious, very curious indeed."

Suddenly, he looked towards his right where an explosion occurred and figured it was part of the everyday happenings of a war. It was near the resistance's base; or at least he thought so. He only had a general idea of where the base was and this was solely because he could sense Ichi's reiatsu in that area. Not like it was hard to find his _own_ reiatsu. Unlike Ichi, who must still be learning the beginnings of the fines of reiatsu control, Ichigo could perfectly control his senses and his very own power. Actually, if he so wanted to, he could become completely inexistent –like right now actually.

Another explosion resounded in the background.

"Looks like their in the middle of a pretty painstaking battle." He murmured to himself, his hand coming to rub his chin thoughtfully as he thought about the possibilities.

"This reiatsu…" he closed his eyes, his senses stretching out to the limit as he tried to decipher the identity of the forces clashing in a dance of destruction. "Shinji is close by but he's not using so much reiatsu. I can also sense Komamura and his lieutenant what's-his-name; both are also fighting but are barely doing any damage. Kensei is also around so Mashiro shouldn't be far behind- oh, there she is. And… Hiyori, Hiyori is also in the epicenter and is actually… creating quite a ruckus and her opponent is-"

He opened his eyes, a sudden chilly wave of reiatsu washing over the entire area like a sudden gush of wind before it disappeared and a giant _thing_ of ice sprung out of nowhere and another explosion resounded.

Well looks like that answered his next question.

"Toshiro is also there. What an odd bunch of people." he contemplated "Hiyori and Toshiro are both battling –might be some midget thing of pride or whatever. Shinji is intercepting Komamura and Kensei is fighting his no-name lieutenant. So that means that Mashiro is on the side lines –typical of her actually."

After a minute of consideration the orange head sighed and hauled himself back to his feet. He absently noticed that Soifon was also arriving onto the battlefield with a bunch of foot soldiers –cannon fodder he thought gingerly. It was sure to get more chaotic, but he had better things to do. Like continue with the plans for his not-a-time-machine –he should _really _name that thing.

He sighed again as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The more he thought about it, the crazier this world seemed to get. Seriously! What's next, he's going to magically turn into his enemies' best friend…? Actually… that's happened before. He should really shut up now.

God forbid he suddenly becomes Aizen's best pal.

He shivered at the mere thought. Yes, he should really get back to work. So with that last thought in mind he shunpo-ed away from the destruction and flew at top speeds all the way to the 11th district and then into its forest. Once he landed silently in the clearing, he walked up to his withering tree and found himself back at the Shiba safe house.

He quickly entered the premise and went directly to one of the back rooms where he had set up his quasi-lab. The place was dark and unusually somber, filled with metal, wires, equipment, scrolls and blueprints lying around the floor and tables he had procured for the room. He went directly towards his most current project and soon enough immersed himself into the contents as his brain went over complex equations, theories and plans.

He would get this right, even if it killed him.

#3#

Uryuu muttered darkly to himself as he strode up the entrance and towards the door of the resident Kurosaki house. He rang the doorbell for about half a second before getting fed up and grabbing the knob and turning it lightly to see if it was looked. As the door slid easily open, he stomped inside with barely contained fury and marched into the house and down the training ground where Ichigo was bound to be.

He threw the lab door open, scowling harder when he found a faint trace of Ichigo's reiatsu in the room before he prepared a breath of air to shout.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, you better have a god damn good excuse for not going to work or so help me I will-!" his words died down his throat as he truly examined the room and felt his blood chill.

"Ichigo?" he called out as he cautiously walked towards the faint shimmer of reiatsu up to a darkened corner. He frowned harder as he noticed that the trail led towards the orange-head's discarded haori on the floor right next to a recently used machine. It was sparking with power –the source of Ichigo's reiatsu most likely- giving a spark every half a minute and blinking dangerously.

Uryuu's brow furrowed further as he scanned the work desk for any clue as to what had happened before his eyes zeroed in on a particular blueprint that was less dusty than the others. He breezed past the unimportant mumbo jumbo about theories and reports that were enclosed with the blueprints before focusing on one of the ending notes and fixtures that seemed to be recently added in what was undeniably Ichigo's neat scrawl.

_Dimension jumping probability up to 92% after test no. 274 resulted in minor fluctuations in the environment rather than a warp as would be the case with Time-Travel._

He felt his breath hitch in his throat as he tried to assimilate what he had read in the margin at the top of the newest records –the lack of oil stains and dust said it all. Uryuu tried to concentrate again on the problem at hand as he started to read the details that were underlined at the bottom.

_Conclusion: The dimension that opens is in the same attractor field as the one we are currently residing in. Probability of full functionality 69%_

_Stabilizing the cluster filed will require vast amounts of power source and a proper synchronization with the signature of the power source. If wave length surpasses estimated percentage the current cluster field can suffer slight distortions to-_

The raven head shook his head to avoid getting wrapped in further on the negative aspects and pity details he won't even need to process. He discarded the page, reaching to grab the one that was at the very bottom with less writing than the previous ones.

_Final update: Stabilization worked to a success rate of 98.76%. Power source tweaked to synchronize with test subject Ichigo's reiatsu to a success rate of 99.98% creating favorable results for actual triumph. _

_Test subject shall attempt to open an alternate dimension using the same cluster field. High expectations on achievement range._

_Results:_

By the end of it, he found the results much more frightening than the actual plan. Sure, it was a pretty wacko project to begin with, and rather sophisticated too, now that he thought about it –the possible effects were taken into consideration, as well as the actual success percentage so it was obviously well done and well thought but-

The result was missing, and the test subject as well –why Ichigo called himself a test subject he'll never know. So-

"I'm gonna kill that idiot." He decided in the end, totally discarding the fact that one would have to be a genius to have gone this far in the first place.

#3#

_The battlefield was covered in debris, his quick feet more than able to outmaneuver himself away from the obstacles even when his mind didn't completely process the whole destruction. He turned with the force of a tornado, his Khyber knife twirling with his quick fingers as he decapitated another enemy foot soldier and simultaneously cut in half another with his trench knife. He continued on light feet, his expression unreadable as he fought forward in a deceitful dance of unhidden beauty bathed in deep red blood as it splattered against the pavement and completely missed his own robes. He turned again, his steps feather light and lightning quick as he cut down another half a dozen soldiers before executing another roundhouse attack in the other direction half a second later. He throws his trench knife into the air, the pitch black blade spinning in mid-air as he grabs his Khyber knife double handed and makes a horizontal slash while creating a highly powered shock wave that wipes out the entire clearing. He catches his small blade in the nick of time, a downward slash to free his trench knife from red stains as a splatter of blood falls on the ground. _

_He exhales a tired breath as his surroundings fall silent, not a single enemy in sight either if you don't count the unimaginable amount of corpses on the floor. He closes his tired brown eyes in a foolish attempt to relax his pulsating heart, the rapid beating almost deafening in the depth of the abandoned battlefield as explosions and other battles are miles away. He's about to seal his zanpaktou, a second away from issuing the command inside his head before a cold shiver runs down his spine and he all but _twirls _around at the speed of light to intercept the enemy attack even as his weary eyes meet tired brown and he finds himself staring into eyes that resemble his own _so_ much, yet belong to the bearer of a smug smile. _

_If he didn't know any better, if he hadn't already fallen through that path in false belief, he would have thought that this very man was the _only_ person that could truly understand his pain, troubles and _power_. _

_Aizen Sosuke wasn't about to fool him once more even _without_ the sharp blade he's wielding going directly for the kill. His eyes say more than his words ever could._

_He won't believe his petty words a third time._

"_Ichigo…"_

The orange haired man wakes up in a sudden fit of gasps for air as he all but throws himself to his feet in an instinctual way to fend off an imaginary enemy. He registers half a minute later of weary glances everywhere that he's not in a bloody battlefield or a grand theater for some mad final battle. He's in his sanctuary, the _Shiba _safe house to be precise, and a place far, far away from those previous gore filled locations that it should be fiscally impossible.

But it's not, Ichigo reminds himself brusquely as he takes a calm breath of air to fill his lungs with the fresh sense of greenery and peace that reached him even in his lab at the corner of the manor. He's been sent spiraling into an alternate universe where the very sense of his recent nightmare is actually a _good guy_, something he had thought was the truth with his own universe some time ago, but was forced to open his eyes rather horribly when said man had backstabbed him –quite literally.

However-

"_Oh! And Sosuke-Jisan stays to help Uncle Kisuke with their experiments or goes out into battle. But he mostly never has time and stays around base; Uncle Shinji too. Those two used to be captain-subordinate. _I_ find it hard to believe." _–he himself asserted that the resident ex- Fifth division captain was a good guy that _Kisuke_ of all people and god forbid _Shinji_ had accepted him into their group. Those two had trust problems the size of Soul Society and Hueco Mundo combined but Aizen was still _there_ and he was permitted to _stay_. That spoke of volumes of trust coming from those two blondes.

That or they were just as wacko as Aizen in this dimension -could be.

However the mere thought was surreal, let alone it being reality. In the end he really couldn't decide until he saw everything for himself, and if he had any say in things, it would be never. He didn't need to interact with the people from this dimension, and the less of an impact he left was for the better. He didn't want to cause much havoc since he hadn't calculated the results and wanted to avoid and catastrophic outcome.

With that thought in mind he stood up from his chair and stretched his sore muscles before walking out his quasi-lab and into the kitchen areas. He started to heat up some water and look through the cupboards for some food before deciding to make some stir rice. The entire pantry was covered in non-perishable seals that had been perfected as generations of clan heads went by, so he was pretty sure that everything was still in an edible state.

He washed the rice quickly and efficiently before a slight shift in the spiritual energy in the air warned him of an incoming and he thoughtfully added some more rice when he noticed who it was. He put the rice to cook soon after and began chopping the onions, carrots, and other veggies before he noticed that his little visitor had stopped at the entrance of the clearing and seemed stumped as to what to do.

Ichigo sighed while he simultaneously washed his hands and removed the kettle from the fire before walking towards the entrance to grab his sandals and headed towards the 'entrance'. Once he passed the tree he found a small carbon copy of himself crouching down thoughtfully scanning the roots of the tree.

"You know you can just waltz in, right?"

"Woah!" he jumped, landing flat on his butt while peering up to look at the smirking orange head with a glare. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing," Ichigo responds in a heartbeat, almost chipper in a way that gets in Ichi's nerves "I just thought it appropriate to inform you that you can just waltz in."

The small orange head rolls his eyes as he stands up to continue his glare "As if, I tried and ended up right back where I started."

Ichigo merely laughs but doesn't comment on it as he turns around and strolls back inside with his alternate-self in tow. Ichi follows him back inside the cottage and is led towards the kitchen where he can smell something wonderful cooking. He takes a seat in the table while Ichigo goes back to his cooking and absently sniffs the air to get an idea of what is being made.

"Is that… fried rice?"

Ichigo grunts in agreement but concentrates in his task while he lets the little man come to his own conclusions. Once it is clear he won't be starting the conversation on his own will, Ichigo sighs and cuts into the silence with startling efficiency.

"So you came back to see me." A cocky smile curves the corner of his mouth as he glances back to look at the small orange head "Miss me or something?"

The other snorts but doesn't disagree as he observes Ichigo's smooth motions when cooking. "I had nothing better to do." He began "So I thought about swinging by and making sure you hadn't killed yourself or something roaming around like a headless chicken."

Ichigo hums in understanding as he places the veggies in a pan with oil to fry before turning back towards his visitor "I see, and you told someone where you were going before running out?"

Ichi bristled at being treated like a little kid as he bitterly crossed his arms over his chest "I don't need to inform anyone where I'm going." He refuted "Dad is always busy with our medical division and everyone else is too wrapped into their duties." He pauses as if in deep thought before chancing an uncertain glance in the orange head's direction "Mom is the only one that actually has free time to spend with me –or she _makes_ time to spend with me."

Ichigo pauses in his stirring as he hears those words. He tries to not let his shock show and is kinda glad he is looking at his pan and not at Ichi or else he would have needed to explain his surprise. As it is, it takes him about half a minute to release he had stopped before continuing his passive job of stirring the veggies before almost mechanically adding the rice.

"So your Mom won't go looking for you when she notices you're gone?" he asks instead, his voice oddly stable in contrast to his internal turmoil.

"Well," Ichi stretches on "she might get worried and send someone if I'm not back by dusk, but she won't come herself." He pauses thoughtfully as he continues to look inquisitive at the older orange head before adding on "She's pregnant, so she shouldn't be moving around much."

Ichigo almost gets a whiplash as he turns around to stare wide-eyed at the boy "Wait, _what_?"

"My mom is going to have twins." He explained –again "It's exciting, Ka-san said I have to be a good big brother and protect them."

Ichigo got out of his initial shock and concentrated on his task once again as he added the finishing touches and served the rice in separate plates. He set down when in front of Ichi and one at his seat before bringing the tea kettle and setting it down in the middle with two cups for use.

"You're an only son?" he asks instead, opting to gain subtle information from the mini-version of himself.

"Yes," Ichi affirms as he grabs his chopsticks and digs in tentatively before quickening his pace with renewed gusto once he notices the awesome taste. "My parents didn't want any other kids because of the war but my Mom ended up pregnant and we just recently found out there are two girls in there."

Ichigo hums in understanding as he flickers a glance at the small boy as if trying to read everything there is to know about this alternate-self he has. Ichi returns his stare head on and he instantly knows that this Ichigo isn't stupid either; he's trying to determine who he is too and is done with the subtle game they began with.

"Do _you_ have any siblings?" Ichi decides in the end, and if he hadn't been concentrating on the older orange head to begin with, he would have missed the flicker of surprise.

"Yes," he answers, his lips involuntarily going up as he decides in his course of action "I had twin sisters."

He can almost see the gears working fulltime inside Ichi's head and almost cackles in glee at the enigma he is painting himself to be. He knows the orange head hasn't told anyone else of his existence, and so long as he continues to be a non-threat, he knows it will stay that way. But the only way to assure himself of this outcome is to keep the boy interested and in the loop of things.

Oh well, at least he'll have someone to vouch for him when things undoubtedly go to hell.

"What are the odds?" Ichi says in the end, his smirk curling the corner of his mouth as if the pieces of a giant puzzle are finally slotting themselves in place. "Kurosaki Ichigo," he begins listing "Hybrid –Hollow, Human, Shinigami, Quincy- Orange Hair, Twin Sisters; what are the odds?" he asks again, smile widening when all Ichigo does is smirk in response.

"Yes," Ichigo answers smugly "what are the odds?"

Ichigo knows that the odds aren't even up to debate.

Ichi just knows that once is an accident, twice is a coincidence and three times is enemy action. Peculiar how he can't help but think the third time is most defiantly _not_ enemy action.

'_Never go against your gut.'_ They both think this simultaneously, and both come to the same conclusion.

'_This is barely the beginning.'_

_**To be continued…?**_

**Hey guys! Hope you don't hate me, but I did say I did not have much of a chance to write and only do so in my free time which is really rare. I am working on all my stories but this chapter is finally done-ish (I wanted it to be longer T^T ) so I guess it is time to update.**

**I'm alive so there is still hope!**

**Please leave a review on your way out ;)**


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